A Coward's Pride
by Sugar-induced-Duck
Summary: Three years have gone by within the blink of an eye & a lot has changed between Trunks and Gina. Time is approaching & change is necessary but can Gina, the self proclaimed coward, learn to accept not being needed. The bond between her and Trunks being strained, will she take the first step into moving forward? Love is Blind & so is Pride. The sequel to A Coward's Virtue!


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Chapter 1: A Long Night

**Two days before Departure**

"Why didn't you tell me about you not planning for me coming to the past?" I demanded, interrupting Trunks as he got out the bed and began putting his clothes back on, his well chiseled chest out in the open shamelessly, "I can take care of myself, and its not like we'll be there long, three hours tops."

Ignoring me, Trunks went across the room, retrieving his pants that were thrown across the room in the midst of our passion the night before. All this silence did more but to infuriate me. I can't believe he told his mom only to build a one-seater time machine, and had no intention of telling me. And now I had to find out the day before he leaves? I thought we had moved beyond keeping secrets from each other. Here I was, spilling my guts about what had been going on with me for the past three and a half years and my scandalous relationship with Rajah and he couldn't be honest with me.

"Trunks, I'm talking to you!" I just about yelled at him, tossing his blankets off my naked body and approaching his back that was turned to me, "Why is it that you never mentioned anything until now? Just what am I to you?! Y-you prick! Why are you leaving me behind!"

My eyes tearing up now, I turned away from him, looking for my clothes frantically while tripping over my feet from the frustration and nervousness of the situation at hand. I continued to rub my eyes as I put my underwear back on, now searching for my shirt, frustrated by how vulnerable I was behaving. All everything and-oh god, I feel sick.

"Gina calm down," I heard Trunks sigh from behind me, his hand gently on my shoulder, "It's not as bad as you're making it out to be. It's for your own good."

"Bullshit!" I hissed, shrugging Trunks' hand off my shoulder as I wore my orange gi, he actually expected me to believe it was for my own good.

"It is Gee," Trunks whispered, pulling me into a hug, my back against his chest, his firm, muscular but warm arms engulfing my form completely, "It's already too much of a risk sending me to the past, I can't take you with me. There's the off chance that either you or me won't be born."

"It doesn't matter," I whimpered, "We're both here now, so it doesn't matter. How can you just do that to me? Leave just when I start to…I dunno "feel" again. That's just too cruel Trunks."

"Gina…"

"I won't forgive you," I growled, forcing his arms off of me, grabbing my pants and putting them on, along with my boots, my eyes now piercing back at him. No matter how much I wanted to just give in, there's no way I could let this go. It's bad enough knowing I'm seen as this weak. Is it because becoming a Super Saiyan is a physical strain on my body? He wants to "tame" my temper? He doesn't want to put me in the front lines any more than I am here? Or maybe he just doesn't trust me, and that realization is what devastates me the most.

"Do whatever you want," I whisper to him, forcing myself to calm down, "We're not supposed to be doing this anyway," I gestured to the ruffled blankets and our unkempt appearance. All this…passion shouldn't even be coursing through us. We have more important things to be focusing on, and I'm not going to make the same mistake twice.

"What do you mean "this"," Trunks said back, his voice sounding hurt, I'm too scared to turn around and look him in the eye, I don't want to see that hurt again. The one thing I keep doing to him.

"You mean sex?" Trunks answered, him now sounding angered, the deep husk of his voice rumbling and giving me a small chill down my back, "You think we shouldn't be doing any of this?"

"I think we shouldn't be romantically involved Trunks," I said, walking towards the door away from the situation. Feeling my arm being tugged back, I turned to see Trunks hurt obvious in his expression, also anger.

"Gina, you're over exaggerating," Trunks nervously laughed, trying to feign a smile at me, "Don't make a fit babe."

"You don't understand Trunks," I sighed, shaking his hand off, looking away from him, "You'll never understand. Have a safe trip Trunks. Goodbye."

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When was the last time you ever closed your eyes and let things flow? All the frustrations and limitations that hinder you from achieving your wants, goal and dreams, when was the last time you just freed your hands from the reigns of such conflicting emotions? Not often, I believe. I barely remember the days where I could just live in such blissful ignorance, at a time where I didn't worry about the past, present, and future. It's already been three years. Three years since I lost my brother, three years since my world ended, and three years since my world started anew.

I'm a pitiful person, a woman filled with selfish, vain thoughts. I worry about myself more than I do about others; I worry about my identity in this dead world, and my usefulness to it. I am proud of my heritage, but ashamed of my distance from it. I'm nowhere near as strong as my late father, Goku, when he was alive, and I'm not as willful like my mother, Chi -Chi, and my dear brother, Gohan, I am nothing but a small blemish to his kindness and virtue.

"Gina?"

Yes?" I answer, turning the side of my face towards him, Trunks, the boy who helped me to get back upon my feet. Right now we're at Capsule Corp. the whole area decorated in a fancy fashion. Trunks' mother, Bulma Briefs, is having a small gala in the underground bunker that branches off from the corporation's location. The current place we are in. Although there aren't too much people around, if I counted about 30 guests, it's a decent amount considering the amount of lives that have been lost by the androids blood soaked hands. The fancy party is all Bulma's idea to ease the minds of us living in the reality we're all trapped in, to relieve the stress of the evening's guests. So it made every sense as to why I was I was dressed in this floor length, navy blue silk evening gown; Tiny crystal bead sown sewed onto the chest of the dress, and a thin transparent shiny fabric dipping from the waist down to the end of the dress, black florescent embroidery on the hem and edges of the dress. A masterpiece I'm quite proud of.

"You weren't kidding around when you said you could sow," Trunks chuckled as he approached me that was hiding behind a punch bowl, away from the rest of the crowd. He wore a black traditional tux, no more looking like the fourteen year old boy from three years ago but not exactly quite a man yet. A seventeen year old can still hold some boyish mature features I guess, and Trunks certainly wore those features to perfection. I admit, there have been times I have caught myself staring at him, after all, he has grown up to be such a handsome one, that I can't deny no matter how much I wish.

"Is that any way to compliment a lady, Trunks?" I smiled at Trunks, fully facing him now, I began to fiddle with his lopsided tie, "But I see you clean up well."

"Yeah, you too," Trunks chuckled again, he seems to have been doing that to me a lot lately, or maybe I'm just starting to become more aware of him maybe, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Well the me three years ago would have died in happiness coming to a party like this all dressed up and what not," I rolled my eyes, letting go of Trunks' now fixed tie, and slightly picking up my dress for emphasis, "I've never felt so out of place in my life. It's been how long since I wore a dress?"

"Well you look decent," Trunks shrugged his shoulders, "And I especially like what you did to your hair, the bun accompanied by the pearl beads fits nicely. Do tell me who does your hair?"

"Shut up asshole," I laughed, lightly punching Trunks arm, him clutching it in mock pain, "I'm not try to brag here."

"I Know," Trunks smiled at me, his hand now on my shoulder, his blue eyes softening for a reason I'm not sure of, "But just go enjoy the night, you deserve it, we all do."

"Well thank you," I scoffed, rolling my eyes in an old fashion, "And I bet you must be enjoying yourself the most."

"What gives that away?" Trunks asked me his eyebrows raised in confusion, and I couldn't help but think how adorable he looked as the skin between his brows wrinkled.

"Look behind you," I jabbed my finger into the direction just a few feet away from us, a small group of girls our age or maybe a year or two older stood. Giggling and staring our way, or per say Trunks' way, me getting the occasional glare from the girls. They were dressed far more fancier than me that's for sure with better assortments and jewelry, probably keepsakes from their mother's while I wore little to none.

"Ugh, ignore them," Trunks sighed, hunching his back as if that would help him disappear from their incessant staring of their affections for him. "They're just getting a little carried away, look at them they're drinking liquor."

"Hmm, maybe I should try some too," I said, looking away from Trunks and staring at my plastic cup of Hawaiian fruit punch. A small smirk plastered on my face when I sneaked a peek of Trunks' shocked expression. I absolutely live for these moments.

"G-Gina," Trunks stuttered, "I don't think you should do that to yourself, I mean you're underage, you're a fighter and all, alcohol in your system isn't really a wise decision."

"C'mon downer Trunks, live a little," I laughed, "What's a sip gonna hurt?"

As I continued to tease one of the girls from the group approached us. Long brown hair in tight bouncy curls, green eyes, and in a white lace cocktail dress, very old fashioned but elegant if you ask. Her neck was endowed in shiny white pearls and all sorts of bangles on her wrist. She definitely came dressed for this small event.

"Oh my gosh," the girl said in an annoying nasal-stuck up tone, her eyeing me up and down like she was sizing me up, "Gina Son? Is that you?"

"Oh wow," another one of the girls came forward, trailing after I suspect their ring leader, "The Gina? Weird airhead little bubble head Gina?"

"Yup," the ring leader said, her lips popping on the "P" and her eyes still up. She raised her hand her, fingernail caught in between her white-white teeth, as she glanced up and Trunks, getting eye contact with him momentarily, which caught him off guard, making him blush.

Smiling at the reaction she induced, she then glanced back at me, dropping her hand from her glossed baby pink lips and on her hip, she continued to stare mockingly at me. Who is this bitch?

"Wow, Gina, I see you're still fawning all over little trunkie-poo. Don't you remember your former best friend? Gabriella? Haven't seen you in like five years."

"Gabby?" I almost spat out my punch when I took a sip, some of the liquid leaking out the corner of my mouth, as I tried not to spray the Gabby's face.

"Ewwww-eh!" the girl pointed at me and my state, "I can't believe you were even friends with her Gabs."

"Yeah, you'd be astonished with yourself from how you used to be when you were twelve," Gabby sighed, crossing her arms, "I was quite the eccentric I guess. Can't even say hi Gina?"

"Hi, Gabby," I chuckled nervously, placing my cup down on the table, and clutching onto my other arm as I tried to avoid eye contact with Gabby, rubbing my arm in comfort as if the mere act would make the girls presence cease.

"Yo girls!" suddenly a male's voice came from behind the two girls, all heads facing the direction of the boys, we saw a tall boy, short black hair and blue eyes in a black and blue suit, probably my age standing next to the other two girls that were Gabby, him holding to glasses of liquor, "I brought you your damn refills!"

"Rajah?!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening and a giant smile spreading across, "Is that you?"

"Gina?" Rajah grinned as he immediately recognized the girl that called out to him, shoving the drinks he was holding into the other girls' hand as he briskly approached Gina, "Gina is that really you?"

"Rajah?" I heard Trunks speak out his name in confusion, "Am I the only one with faint memories?"

"My have you grown," I laughed, giving Rajah a quick hug, "I haven't seen you in years!"

"Aw c'mon," Rajah rolled his eyes mischievously, "You make us sound like old farts."

"Trunks," I turned to him, Rajah's arm still wrapped around me, strangely though it felt very comfortable there, I didn't really mind, "This is Rajah, he and I went to the same elementary school."

"Wow the famous heir to Capsule Corp. Trunks Briefs," Rajah awed at Trunks stretching his hand out to shake Trunks', "Nice to meet ya dude."

"Yeah…you too," Trunks replied, shaking Rajah's hand reluctantly, "I'm surprised Gina had friends of the opposite sex…let alone friends at all."

"Well sorry to disappoint," I couldn't help but smirk, "But I had friends, well Rajah anyway, he was the only one that I could really feel comfortable around when mom gave up on home schooling me."

"More like you were the only one who could actually put up with me," Rajah laughed, shaking my sides and slightly pulling me closer to him. Suddenly pointing a finger at me he looked over to Trunks, "I was such a crybaby back in fourth grade it was like Gina made it her sole mission to be my "Big Sis" on the playground so no one would bully me, and I was no exception I followed her around like a love sick puppy."

"Love sick?" I laughed, a bit surprised by what he just said, "You kid around too much buddy."

"I'm serious Gina!" Rajah laughed back, nudging me, "I had a mad crush on you by the fourth grade. Then you disappeared. What happened?"

"Does it matter Raj?" Gabby now intervened, tugging at Rajah's arm. A fake pearly white grin plastered on her face. Damn, for us living in such horrible times, she sure knows how to keep a prissy and very annoying attitude. I'd probably be the same if circumstances hadn't changed that. "What's in the past is in the past. No need to bring back any old flames here."

"Calm down Gabs," Rajah chuckled, his hands in his suit pockets, "I was just curious. I mean it's not every day you see someone you once knew from the past with all this android stuff."

"Yeah," I chuckled back, "But Gabrielle is right. There's no point in bringing up the past. What's done is done."

Chimes going off in the small ball room, the guests started to make way towards an exit that lead to an underground pathway that would lead them to their homes for the time being. Before the androids would find it and blow it up. That's how the world had become now, people living in greater fear, and becoming more or less nomads looking for safety for the night. Established people like Trunks and his mother Bulma Briefs didn't need to worry about that. They had more than one shelter home that they could move anytime in cases of emergencies. Bulma had donated four of their homes to the homeless and two for hospitals and they still had room to move. Finding Trunks had become a fun hobby for the androids, were they'd commence to fighting him. Every now and then I'm with Trunks as back up to help, and I do my best not to slow him down, but sometimes my cockiness gets the best of me in those near death battles with the androids. The remainder of my time I spend training, I always refuse to tell Trunks were I train, and I swore his mother into secrecy of mapping out where I go. It's my only sense of me making some progress without the constant reminder of how much weaker I am than Trunks.

I see less of my mother than she'd like and lately even less of Videl and her daughter Pan. They're all living together now too. Mom, Videl and Pan. It makes it all the more difficult to visit. They all have a strong bond with each other, Gohan, and going back to them, seeing them together, all the more makes me realize how oblivious I was to everything. How Gohan gave up more than necessary for me, and I don't need a constant reminder of that. It's not running away, or at least that's what I hope it isn't, I just…don't need the thoughts of him.

"I guess it's time to go," Rajah sighed, looking to the leaving crowd then to me and Trunks, "See you around Gina?"

"Yeah…sure…" I replied not sure how to take this sudden goodbye. I mean, I'd never see him again.

"Don't make that face," Rajah smiled softly his hand suddenly brushing my cheek, move a strand of hair behind my ear, "It's not that hard to find someone anymore."

"Really now," I smiled back, a blush creeping up.

"Yeah, I live in district 43," he said, now leaning at the balls of his feet, winking at me then turned to the leaving crowd, walking with Gabby, who had already started nagging at Rajah, and the rest of her posy, "Just ask for me and you'll find me straight away. I'm hard to miss."

"Okay," I stared at his leaving figure, cupping my cheeks in astonishment, "That's something new."

"Gina let's go," Trunks spoke, goodness I almost forgot he was there, "We've got a long day tomorrow."

"Yeah…" _Strange_, I thought, looking up to Trunks as we approached his mom, who was talking to some men I figured to be some working scientists or so. Trunks looked a bit irritated for some reason. Maybe he really didn't like fancy parties. Then again, I can understand why he wouldn't. We're the lucky ones. While we're here having a good time. There are others outside this room that are suffering with little hope in their hearts. I just hope…pray that there's some change coming this year. That something different will happen, something for the good. Something for the better.

_But what I didn't know was how much people can change in just a matter of three years, and how much a small mistake that compromise all that matters._

_I was too proud to admit my faults, and I was still such a coward to embrace all that was moving forward; with or without me._

_The change between Trunks and I_

_And the possibility _

_To create a new future_

_Together_

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**WOOOO!**

**I'm back with a sequel!**

**Thank you so much for waiting for this! I've been busy with school and trying to put the plot of this story together!**

**So..um...Trunks is 17 and Gina is 16, but nearing the time when Trunks has to leave they'll both be 17 years old.**

**Well I have but just one spoiler for you about this fanfic! They'll be alot of drama! This is a Drama/Romance Fic, and I'm gonna stick to it! lololololol**

**There will be some statements later on in the story where it will be quite obvious that our characters are...getting intimate under the covers (but only late into the story, and not a lot really. They're still considered kids) LOL and NO! I do not do lemons!(...Haha cuz I suck at them) Plus I wanna stick to rated T. So there will be no description of make bed-shaking activitites. **

**Thanks for supporting my Fic! Please Read and Review! Reviews really do make me work faster for please keep 'em coming! Well here's my sequel to A Coward's Virtue!**

**A Coward's Pride!**


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